Maximizing Efficiency of Telemedicine in the Skilled Nursing Facility during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic

• DOI: 10.1016/j.jamda.2021.04.009
• Publication Date: 2021-04-21T07:11:21Z
• Authors: Sabrina P. Jen; Albert Bui; Susan D. Leonard
• Keywords: 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Pragmatic Innovations in Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine; COVID-19; Humans; Pandemics; Telemedicine; Skilled Nursing Facilities; 3. Good health

Telemedicine has rapidly become a significant component of healthcare during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, and is particularly beneficial in delivering care to vulnerable populations in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). To limit coronavirus disease 2019 exposure, our team developed a quality improvement (QI) project to identify common telemedicine-related disruptions and their solutions, and created a streamlined protocol to maximize the efficiency of virtual rounding in the SNF. Through 9 Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles, we revised our protocol to decrease the percentage of rounding time spent troubleshooting telemedicine-related problems ("nonclinical care time") and were able to demonstrate repeatability at three checkpoints. Our QI project offers a framework for SNF providers and staff to deliver telemedicine-driven patient care.